Andrew b



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' A.H.BEAISLEY."

MAGHINERY Pun GLEANING 0R POLISHING WHEAT. OR OTHER GRAIN.

- 110 548,347. Patented 001:.22, 1895.

(No Model.) s Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. H. BEASLEY. MACHINERYFOR CLEANING ORPOLISHING WHEAT OR OTHER GRAIN No. 548,347. Patented Oct. 22, 1895.

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ANDREW BfiRMAM, PHOTO UTNQWASNINGTON. D.C.

(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 3.

I A. H. BEA SLEY, I MACHINERY FOR CLEANING 0R POLISHING WHEAT OR OTHER GRAIN. No. 548,347.

Patented Oct. 22, 1-895.

ANDREW ELGRANAM PNOTDUTNQWASNINFIUNRC.

NlTED STATES ATENT FFICE.

ALFRED HEDGESBEASLEY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

MACHINERY FOR CLEANING 0R POLISHING WHEAT OR OTHER GRAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,347, dated. October 22, 1895.

Application filed December 21, 1894:. Serial No. 532,595. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED Hnnens BEAS- LEY, engineer and millwright, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Rockingham Iron Works, Uxbridge, London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain new or Improved Machinery for Cleaning or Polishing Wheat or other Grain, of which the following is a specifica tion.

The new or improved machinery for cleaning or polishing wheat and other grain forming the subject of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying three sheets of drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation; Fig. 2, a corresponding vertical section taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 3 a plan, partly in section, of a cleaning and polishing machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

A A A are practically air-tight chambers formed one over the other in the framing A of the machine. In these chambers are placed cylinders composed of stationary parts or se ments B", which may consist of wire-gauze or of metal or other material not perforated, and of parts or segments B B B composed of wire-gauze or other suitable perforated material, and these latter parts or segments of the cylinders are perferably made so that they can be expanded or contracted somewhat in' diameter by means of suitably-arranged levers C C C operated as hereinafter described. Inside the cylinders are rotating brushes D D D the bristles or hairs of which come close to the wire-gauze of the respective cylinders. The brush in the uppermost cylinder may be made of steel wire, for example, that in the next lower cylinder of lighter material, and that in the lowermost of best bristles, for polishing purposes.

On the top of the machine is placed a shakersieve E, moved by an eccentric or other suitable known means, (not shown in the drawings), and which sieve delivers the grain to the uppermost cylinder through an inlet-opening F, preferably of the whole width of such cylinder. The grain, falling on the brush D in such cylinder, is carried around thereby in the direction of the arrow in a very thin layer in contact with the wire-gauze until it escapes at a suitably-placed outlet-opening G, also of the full width of the cylinder. From this outlet G of the uppermost cylinder the grain is led by a spout to the similar inlet-opening F of the next lower cylinder, in which it is carried around by the brush D in the direction of the arrow in contact with the wire-gauze, as before, and is discharged through asimilar outlet-opening G and inlet-opening F into the lowermost cylinder, where it is further treated by the brush D in the same way, and finally escapes at an outlet-opening G to be led away as may be required.

An exhaust-pan H is suitably arranged to draw the dust and flutty refuse which pass through the wire-gauze of the cylinders away from the air-tight cases A A A and to blow the same into aroom or receptacle adapted to receive them or into the open air, if preferred.

Suitable valves or flapsI I I may be provided in the main spout K, whereby the grain, instead of being led into the cylinder or cylinders below, may be led away out of the machine after having been passed through a part only of the total number of cleaning-cylinders in the machine, according to the quality of the grain being treated or the degree of cleaning or polishing to which such grain is to besubjected. For example, when the valves or flaps I I I all stand in the positions indicated by full lines in Fig. 2, the grain is caused to pass successively through all the cylinders; but when either of the said valves or flaps is turned into the position shown in dotted lines so as to cover its corresponding inlet-opening F F, or F the grain passes on down the main spout K without entering the cylinder, the inlet-opening to which is closed by its valve or flap. These valves or flaps can be opened or closed from outside the machine by means of crank-handles LL, for example.

Rotatory motion may be communicated to the brushes and to the exhaust-fan by pulleys and belting or other suitable means, and it is obvious that the number of cylinders and brushes may be varied according to circumstances.

The levers O C C for increasing or reducing the diameters of the wire-gauze parts B B B of the cylinders may be operated simul of a lever M, connected by links M with 1e- Ver-arms N N N secured to the outer ends of the shafts or axes I P P carrying the lever-arms O C which latter are respectively pin-jointed to bars Q Q Q attached to the wire-gauze parts B B B of the corresponding cylinders. By moving the lever M upward the levers C O C are turned so as to exert a pulling action on the wire-gauze, whereby the diameters of' the cylinders are reduced so as to press more firmly against the revolving brushes contained in them, and the cleaning or polishing action on the grain is thereby intensified, and by moving the lever M downward the levers O O C are turned so as to relax the tension on the gauze, whereby the diameters of the cylinders are increased, so that the later press less firmly against the brushes and the cleaning or polishing action on the grain is thereby reduced.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- 1. In a grain scouring machine the combination of a plurality of rotating scouring brushes arranged one above the other, movable segments of perforated material arranged partly around the brushes and leaving outlet openings, a main spout leading past and communicating with said openings, valves in the spout above the openings, and means for adjusting said movable segments toward and from the brushes, substantially as set forth.

2. In a grain scouring machine the combination of a plurality of chambers one above the other, a stationary segment l3 in each chamber, movable segments of perforated material arranged to leave outlet openings, rotating brushes between the stationary and movable segments, a main spout leading past said chambers with which said outlet openings communicate, and valves in the spout one above each of said outlet openings, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED HEDGES BEASLEY.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM HENRY BECK, STEPHEN EDWARD GUMZON, 

